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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON , D.C. 20549 FORM 10 - K ( Mark One ) X ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 or TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the Transition Period from to Commission file number 001-36041 INDEPENDENCE REALTY TRUST , INC . ( Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter ) Maryland ( State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization ) 1835 Market Street , Suite 2601 , Philadelphia , PA ( Address of principal executive offices ) ( 267 ) 270-4800 ( Registrant's telephone number , including area code ) 26-4567130 ( I.R.S. Employer Identification No. ) 19103 ( Zip Code ) Title of each class Common stock Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( b ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 : Name of each exchange on which registered NYSE Trading Symbol ( s ) IRT Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( g ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 : None Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well - known seasoned issuer , as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act . Yes No Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the Act . Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant : ( 1 ) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports ) , and ( 2 ) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days . Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S - T ( § 232.405 of this chapter ) during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files ) . Yes No ■ ☐ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company . See the definitions of " large accelerated filer , " " accelerated filer , " " smaller reporting company " and " emerging growth company " in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act . Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer Smaller reporting company Non - accelerated filer Emerging growth company If an emerging growth company , indicate by checkmark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13 ( a ) of the Exchange Act . □ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 ( b ) of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act ( 15 U.S.C. 7262 ( b ) ) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company ( as defined in Rule 12b - 2 of the Act ) . Yes No > The aggregate market value of the shares of common stock of the registrant held by non - affiliates of the registrant , based upon the closing price of such shares on June 30 , 2020 of $ 11.45 , was approximately $ 1,084,726,741 . As of February 12 , 2021 there were 101,856,947 outstanding shares of the registrant's common stock issued and outstanding . DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE Portions of the proxy statement for registrant's 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10 - K .